Stories of
American Heroes -
Brought to you from the "Home of Heroes" - Pueblo, Colorado

Menomen O'Donnell

TAPS

Fading light dims the sight,
And a star gems the sky,
Gleaming bright.
From afar drawing nigh,
Falls the night.

Day is done, gone the sun,
From the lake, From the hills,
From the sky.
All is well, safely rest,
God is nigh.

Then good night, Peaceful night,
Till the light of the dawn
Shineth bright,
God is near, do not fear,
Friend, good night.

Mount Calvary Cemetery

Born:April 20, 1830 at Drumbarty, Ireland

Entered
Service in the US Army from Sumner, IL

Earned The Medal of Honor During the Civil War For heroism
May 22, 1863 & March 14, 1864 at Vicksburg,
MS & Ft DeRussey, LA

Died:September
03, 1911 at the age of 81

The Vicksburg
campaign was waged from March 29 to July 4, 1863. It included
battles in west-central Mississippi at Port Gibson, Raymond,
Jackson, Champion Hill, Big Black River and numerous smaller
battle fields. On the morning of May 22, General Grant launched
what he hoped would be a crushing assault against Vicksburg. In
the fighting that followed, the Union Infantry was repulsed and
thrown back along a three-mile front. The Union Army suffered
more than 3,000 casualties, and 97 Union soldiers earned Medals
of Honor (the second largest single-day total in history.) First
Lieutenant Menomen O'Donnell voluntarily joined the color guard
in the assault on the enemy's works when he saw indications of
wavering and caused the colors of his regiment to be planted on
the parapet. He also voluntarily placed himself in the ranks of
an assaulting column (being then on staff duty) and rode with it
into the enemy's works, being the only mounted officer present.
Lieutenant O'Donnell was wounded twice in this battle. Following
the failed assault on May 22, a forty-seven day siege was laid
against the city, which finally surrendered to Union forces on
July 4.